1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a strip connecting apparatus, which connects the tail edge of a leading strip and the front edge of a trailing strip.
2. Discussion of Background
In FIG. 8 is shown a schematic view of a conventional strip connecting apparatus, which is disclosed in JP-A-5418440. In FIG. 8, the tail edge of a leading strip 1, which is successively transferred along a processing line, is halted in a welder (not shown). Rough centering of the leading strip 1 is made by clamping the leading strip 1 by an alignment device on the outlet side of the welder. After having clamped the leading strip 1, a position detector 3 detects a deviation between the center of the leading strip 1 in its width direction and the center of the welder (not shown) and outputs a deviation signal 3a.
Next, rough centering of a transferred trailing strip 4 is made by an alignment device 5 on the inlet side of the welder. A position detector 6 detects a deviation between the width center of the trailing strip 4 and the center of the welder (not shown) and outputs a deviation signal 6a. The respective deviation signals 3a and 6a are processed by an operation unit 7 to drive a cylinder 9 through a valve 8. The cylinder 9 is driven to move a table 10 with the trailing strip 4 fixed thereto in a direction transverse to the processing line. When the deviation signals 3a and 6a from the respective position detectors 3 and 6 are matched, the movement of the table 10 is halted. Then, the welder (not shown) connects the tail edge of the leading strip 1 and the front edge of the trailing strip 4 since the respective strips 1 and 4 have had the width centers thereof matched.
Since the conventional strip connecting apparatus is constructed as stated earlier, the connection between the tail edge of the leading strip 1 and the front edge of the trailing strip 4 is carried out in such a state that the leading strip 1 and the trailing strip 4 have the width centers matched. Under the circumstances, it is difficult to ensure the degree of parallel of the center lines of the respective strips 1 and 4 with respect to the center line of the processing line. This creates a problem in that the respective strips 1 and 4 thus connected snake in the processing line when the respective strips are being transferred.